Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday said solutions to all national problems must be found through dialogue with the opposition and stressed that stability in parliament is essential for Bangladesh’s progress.

“This parliament is made up of you [opposition] and me. If either of us fails, then Bangladesh itself will fail…. Both the ruling party and the opposition must work together, and under no circumstances should parliament be allowed to fail,” he said in his concluding speech of the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

The session, which began on March 12, ended yesterday after 25 working days. Tarique’s address came during the thanksgiving motion on the president’s speech, which was passed by voice vote.

“Agree to disagree is a recognised principle in every parliament across the democratic world. Yes, today much has been said about the July charter, but I will not go into that debate,” he said.

The prime minister said consensus had been reached on some bills, while differences remained on others. “From my party’s position, I want to state clearly: on issues where we disagree, we will sit with opposition members, we will discuss, and we will find solutions in the national interest.”

“I will not compare whether law and order has improved or worsened. I only want us to live in a safe Bangladesh today.” Leader of the Opposition

Shafiqur Rahman

He reiterated the proposal for making a Deputy Speaker from the opposition. “The opposition did not accept it due to their party’s decision. That is their policy matter. But today I want to make it clear once again: this proposal remains open to the leader of the opposition, and opposition MPs. By keeping it open, we have tried to demonstrate our genuine intention.”

Tarique warned that obstruction of democracy harms the economy, education, healthcare, and employment. “If we ask an ordinary citizen today what they want, I believe they will say, ‘We want peace; we want safe roads.’.”

He said parliament must focus on delivering education and healthcare facilities, resolving the electricity crisis, and creating new jobs.

He said, “History can be debated endlessly. But such debates cannot soothe the mind of a mother whose child is suffering from measles, nor can they provide jobs for the unemployed. We must ensure employment for young people and medicines for children affected by measles.”

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“We compromised on everything and signed the July National Charter out of compulsion ...  what if they blocked the election with the excuse of reforms.”

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed

Tarique added, “If we cannot maintain stability, if we cannot strengthen the economy, especially in the present context where this parliament began governing the country with a loan of Tk 30 lakh crore, then we cannot move the nation forward.

“Without a stable government, without a stable parliament, we cannot advance. To take the country forward, both sides must work together.”

ACT ON TEESTA, END EXTORTION: SHAFIQUR

Shafiqur Rahman, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and leader of the opposition in parliament, in his concluding speech, said they respect the constitution as law‑abiding citizens.

“Some try to claim that we do not respect the constitution. But if we did not, how could we be here? We are law‑abiding citizens. If we dislike the constitution, we may wage a movement -- but we will not revolt,” he said.

He demanded visible progress in implementing the proposed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project.

“When I went to the Teesta basin, I saw the hardship of people there. In the dry season, there is no water. In the monsoon, it drowns; in the dry season, it burns. This is how their lives go on.

“The ruling party and the opposition must work together, and under no circumstances should parliament be allowed to fail.”

Leader of the House Tarique Rahman

“We have heard many stories about the Teesta mega plan. Now we want visible work, not stories. I strongly urge the government to take bold decisions on this. I assure you, 20 crore people will stand beside the government.”

He said, “Extortion is rampant across the country. Not only roadside vendors, but even business owners are forced to pay to run their shops.... Let us pledge from this parliament to make Bangladesh free of extortion, at any cost.”

He added, “I will not compare whether law and order has improved or worsened. I only want us to live in a safe Bangladesh today. Educational institutions must be kept free of all terrorism. We do not want to see any more students killed by machetes or bullets. Children must enter schools and come out as skilled, moral citizens.”

He said, “The war continues, the world is unstable. This crisis is not created by the government. It is global. But our foreign policy must be independent: Bangladesh first. We want boundless friendship, but no masters. Our foreign policy must be based on dignity, equality, and mutual respect.”

He said that “every crime of the fascist era, including killings, disappearances, torture, rape, violations of humanity”, must be tried, and there must be justice for Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a July uprising frontliner slain while preparing to contest the national polls.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “... This constitution is our existence, our emotion, and it is tied to the blood of millions of martyrs of 1971.”

Many sections and chapters of the constitution have been repeatedly altered, yet “it remains our constitution, the one for which we fought. As Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed rightly said, the president is not just an individual, he is an institution. Without the president after August 5, the state would have plunged into extreme disorder and anarchy, and it is doubtful whether we could have saved the nation.”

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher cautioned if anyone ignores what is beneficial for the country and instead uses a two-thirds majority to do whatever they wish, then the nation will fall behind again.

On the July charter, he said 31 political parties came together to draft it, but later, it was said that whichever party gained a majority would also have its own agenda. “That was never part of our discussion. It amounts to a betrayal of the July charter.”

On the Islami Bank, he said, “The Jamaat-e-Islami has no bank. None of our MPs are directors of Islami Bank, nor have we rescheduled loans. Islami Bank was the product of honest and enterprising people. If you say we had a role in its management, we accept that.”

‘BNP COMPROMISED ON CHARTER’

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed termed the July Charter Implementation Order “illegal”.

The BNP had refrained from speaking out during the issuance of the order by the interim government for the sake of elections, he said.

“We compromised on everything and signed the July National Charter out of the compulsion: what if they blocked the election with the excuse of reforms.”

“If they [opposition] find satisfaction in treating constitutional amendment as reform, then what is the problem? By refusing to join the committee [constitution amendment committee], does it mean the constitution, as it stands after the 15th amendment, will simply continue unchanged?”

He noted that the first decision in the consensus commission was to amend article 70 of the constitution. “There was no question of a note of dissent. On the day the decision was taken, it was agreed that the charter would be drafted with notes of dissent included. And so it was signed.”

Addressing the opposition, he said, “You signed it. We signed it. Let us now implement the July charter.”

He argued that the subsequent implementation order was unconstitutional and invalid. He recalled that BNP’s standing committee had held a press conference in Gulshan declaring that the party and its allies would accept nothing outside the charter.

“I would remind my young friends that one party exhausted itself by selling the spirit of 1971 and was forced to flee. Let us not turn the spirit of July into political merchandise. July belongs to all of us,” the home minister said.

About freedom of speech, he warned, “What is happening today in the name of free expression on social media -- if it is not controlled, if we do not restrain ourselves, I do not know where this nation will end up. Some voices are inside the country, some abroad, some even within households. It seems they alone have freedom of speech, while the rest of us are helpless. If you counter them, the abuse only increases.”

He criticised personal attacks, saying dragging the prime minister’s wife and daughter into vile narratives in the name of freedom will not take us forward. “It will destroy our culture.”

Responding to Jamaat leader Taher’s claim that Jamaat has no bank, Salahuddin said, “They say they have no bank. Yet, when speaking, they claim ownership and take credit. Having a bank is not bad, why deny it?”

Ninety-four bills were passed during the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

Two adjournment motions, one on convening a Constitutional Reform Council in line with the July Charter Implementation Order, and the other on the charter’s implementation process, were discussed.

The opposition staged four walkouts, including one protesting President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s opening address.